Spool holder



4 J. D. WEBB SPOOL HOLDER Filed Aug. 28, 1925 JDQW bb.

Patented Jan, 27, 1925.

JOHN D. =WEBB, or na-nsasoirv, licenses.

SEOUL Application filedAngust 28, 1923.

and useful Improvements in SpoolHolders,

,1 of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved spool holder, and seeks, among other'objects, to provide a neat and convenient device of this character for containing and protecting spoolot' sewing thread so that the thread will not become soiled while accidentalunwinding of. the thread from the spool will be prevented.

"The invention seeks as a further object, to provide a device whereinthe' thread may be conveniently withdrawn from the spool, wherein the spool will, at all times, be frictionally held against rotation so that the spool will not turn except when the thread 1s being unwound therefrom, wherein means will be provided for severing the thread, and wherein when the thread is severed, the loose end of the thread will remain to be easily grasped when it is again desired to draw thread from the spool.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a device ,which will be s'mpl e in "its construction and which may be readily modified-to accommodate a num- 1 her of spools.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof my improved dev ce showlng an ordinary spoolof sewing thread therein,

Figure 2- is a sectional view through the device on the line 22qof Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-8 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and particularly showing the thread cutting notches of thedevice, and

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a slight modification of the invention for holding a pair of spools.

In carrying the invention into effect, I preferably stamp my improved spool holder from an oblong strip of spring brass which strip is rolled at one end portion thereof into approximately cylindrical shape to deline a spool holding spring or sleeve while at its opposite end portion, the strip is rolled toward the spring 10 to define a cylindrically-shaped handle 11. The spring Serialdfo. 659,751.

10 is of a, radius to snugly receive a spool, as conventionally llustrated at'12, therein and formed on the'free end of the spring atop posite edges thereof arejinturned retaining lugs'l3 confronting the ends oi the spool iforholdng the spool against endwise displacement. As best brought out in ljigure l, the spring 10 is cut away medially throughout the, major portion of its length to define a substantially wedge-shaped sight opening; 1 1 having its larger end disposed near the'free end or the spring as well as to define a medial locking tongue projecting from the smallerend of the opening, to-

ward, the free end of the spring. The tongue 15 1s preferably tapered toward its free end, being curved, on a radius somewhat less than the radius of the spring 10,

and formed on the, tongue at its free end is an elongated eye 16 extending in the direc tion of: the axis of the spring and having its ends upturned tovtacilitate the insertion of a spool beneath the tongue. The eye 16 is thus disposed to receive? the free end of the thread therethrough while the tongue will hold said eyesin frictional contact with the thread upon thespool to provide a brake for the spool. Formed in' the free edge of the handle 11 near its ends are thread cutters 17, the edge of the handle being formed with segmental notches having beveled cutting ed "As will now be seen, the spring 10 of the holder will house the spool 12 to prevent soiling oi the thread while the color and size of the thread may be readily observed device is grasped in one hand and the thread in the other, whenthe thread is pulled through the eycq1 3 ot' the tongue 15. During this operation,;.the tongue will, of course, exert a spring tension on" the spool, so that the spool will rotate withinthe spring only under the pull upon the free end oi the thread and, preferably, the spool is arranged within the spring, as shown in Figure 1, so that the spool will, as the thread is unwound therefrom, be caused to rotate in a direction away from the free end of the spring. The spring 10, in closely embracing the spool, will also exert some frictional drag on the spool and in thus arranging the spool within the spring, the frictional drag of the spring must also be overcome before the spool will turn. Un-

to at all times bear against the thread, un-

til the thread is completely exhausted. Cutting of the thread is effected by drawing the portion of the thread unwound into either one or'the other of the notches of the cutters 17, a pair of notches being employed so that the device may be used with equal Lil facility by right-handed or left-handed persons. When the free end portion of the thread is thus drawn into one of the notches against the cutting edge thereof, the tongue 15 will automatically and firmly lock the spool'against rotation so that the thread will, of course, be severed, and, as will be particularly noted, a length of thread equal to the distance between the eye 16 and the thread cutter used will remain so that the remaining free end of the thread may be readily grasped when it is next desired to withdraw some thread from the spool. Loading of the device is accomplished by lifting the free end of the spring 10 at one or the other of the forward corners thereof until the adjacent retaining lug 13 will clear the spool when the spool is inserted endwise within the spring. Removal of the pool is, of course, accomplished in a similar manner.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, I have illustrated a slight modification of the invention embodying a device adapted to hold a pair of spools. As in the preferred construction, I preferably form the modified device from a strip of spring brass rolled at its end portions to provide a pair of spool holding springs or members 18. The springs 18 are identical with the spring 10 and are provided at their free ends with retaining lugs 19. Furthermore, the springs 18, like the spring 10, are cut away to define sight openings like the sight opening 14; as well as to define locking tongues 20 identical with the tongue 15, the tongues 20 terminating in eyes 21 upturned at their ends. Formed on the side edges of the strip medially between the flee ends of the springs 18, are upstanding thread cutters 22 rovided with curved cutting side ethges T us, as will be seen, a spool may be is sed in each of the springs 18 to be carried by the holder. It will thus be seen that I provide a particularly simple and efficient device for the purpose set forth and while I have illustrated a single modification of the invention still, as will be seen from the foregoing, other modifications may, without departing from the spirit of the invention, be made therein and 1 accordingly reserve the right to all such variations as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A spool holder including a spool holding spring shaped to embrace a spool and cut away to define a tongue to bear ainst the thread upon the spool frictionally olding the spool against rotation, the ton e terminating in an eye to receive the rec end of the thread therethrough.

2. A spool holder formed from a strip of resilient material having one end portion thereof bent to form a handle notched to define a thread cutter and having its op site end portion bent to form a cylin rically shaped spring to embrace a spool rotatably supporting the spool, the spring being-provided near its free end with lugs to confront the ends of the spool and being cut away to define a medial tongue terminating in an eye to receive the free end of the thread therethrough, the tongue being disposed to bear against the threwdfrictionally holding the spool against rotation.

3. A spool holder formed from a length of material having one end portion thereof bent longitudinally to form a cylindrically shaped spool receiving sleeve cut away medially to define a tensioning tongue of less radius than the sleeve to cooperate at its free end with a spool in said sleeve for yieldably holding the spool against rotation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN D. WEBB. [1. s.] 

